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Compare 1587 edition: 1 At length yet as Maiſter VVoulfes vſe vvas to imparte to me all ſuche helpes as he might at any hande procure for my fur|therance, in the collections of the other Hiſtories, vvherevvith I ſpecially dealte, his happe vvas to light alſo vpon a copie of tvvoo Bookes of the Iriſhe Hiſtories, compi|led by one Edmond Campion, fellovv ſomtime of S. Iohn Baptiſts Colledge in Ox|forde, very vvell penned certenly, but ſo briefe, as it vvere to be vviſhed that occaſion had ſerued him to haue vſed more leyſure, and thereby to haue deliuered to vs a lar|ger diſcourſe of the ſame Hiſtories: for as he himſelfe confeſſeth, hee had not paſte tenne vveekes ſpace to gather his mater: a very ſhorte time doubtleſſe for ſuche a peece of vvorke. But hovve breefe ſo euer I founde him, at the perſuaſion of Mai|ſter VVoulfe, vpon the hauing of that copie, I reſolued to make ſhift to frame a ſpe|ciall Hiſtorie of Irelande, in like maner as I had done of other Regions, follovvyng Campions order, and ſetting dovvne his ovvne vvordes, excepte in places vvhere I had mater to enlarge that (out of other Authours,) vvhich he had vvritten in briefe: and this I haue thought good to ſignifie, the rather for that I eſteeme it good dealing in no vviſe to defraude him of his due deſerued prayſe.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 But novv after I had continued the Hiſtorie, and enlarged it out of Giraldus Cam|brenſis, Flatsbury, Henry of Marleburgh, and other, till the yeare. 1509 in vvhich that famous Prince Henry the .viij. began his reigne, ſome of thoſe that vvere to be|ſtovv the charges of the Impreſſion, procured a learned Gentleman Maiſter Richard Stanyhurſt, to continue it from thence forvvarde as he ſavv occaſion, being furniſhed vvith mater to enlarge the vvorke, vvhereof for thoſe later times I founde my ſelfe vtterly voyde, more than that vvhiche Campion had deliuered. VVhat I haue done herein, your Honours diſcretion ſhall eaſily cõceyue. For the imperfection ſith it is EEBO page image 573 the firſt that hath bene ſet forth in Printe, I craue moſt humbly pardon of your good Lordſhippe, beſeeching you rather to reſpect my good vvill than the perfectneſſe of the vvorke, vvhiche the vvantes conſidered for the orderly furniſhyng thereof, is not to be looked for in the skilfull, muche leſſe in me the meaneſt of all, and leaſt able to performe it. Hauing preſented the right Honorable the Erle of Leyceſter vvith the Hiſtorie of Scotlande, to vvhome (as I haue hearde) Campion made Dedication of his booke, I coulde not remember me to vvhome I might more conueniently offer this my trauell in this Hiſtorie of Ireland, than to your Lordſhip, being hir Maieſties Lieutenant in that Realme. And therfore in moſt humble vviſe I exhibite the booke to your Honour, beſeeching the ſame to beare vvith my bolde attempt therein, and to receyue it in good parte from him that vviſhed to haue more amplie ſatisfied your good Lordſhippes expectation, if abilitie might haue anſvvered good vvill.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Thus I beſeech the Lorde to guyde your harte in his holy vvayes, and to furniſh you vvith politike prudence and skilfull knovvledge, to gouerne in your eſtate and office, ſo as your doyngs may redounde to his glorie, the ſuretie of hir Maieſties do|minion there, your ovvne aduancement in Honour, and conſequently to the ſure ſupporte and peaceable quietneſſe of the true and loyall ſubiectes of that Realme.

Your honours moſt humble to commaunde, RAPHAEL HOLINSHED.

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TO THE RIGHT HO|norable sir Henrie Sidneie knight, lord deputie generall of Ireland, lord president of Wales, knight of the most noble order of the garter, and one of hir maiesties priuie councell within hir realme of England.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 _TAking in hand (right honorable) to gather the particular histories of diuerse countries and nations, to ioine with a cos|mographie, which one Reginald Wolfe late printer to the queenes maiestie meant to publish in our English toong: when I came to consider of the histories of Ireland, I found my self so vnprouided of helps, to set downe anie particular discourse therof, that I was in despaire to enterprise to write anie thing at all concerning that realme, otherwise than incidentlie as fell to purpose to touch the same in the historie of England. At length yet as maister Wolfes vse was, to impart to me all such helps as he might at anie hand procure for my furtherance, in the collections of the other histories, where|with I speciallie dealt; his hap was to light also vpon a copie of two bookes of the Irish histories, compiled by one Edmund Campion, fellow sometime of S. Iohn Baptists college in Oxford, verie well penned certeinlie, but so breefe, as it were to be wished, that occasion had serued him to haue vsed more leasure, and thereby to haue deliuered to vs a larger discourse of the same histories: for as he himselfe confesseth, he had not past ten weekes space to gather his matter: a verie short time doubtlesse for such a peece of worke. But how breefe so euer I found him, at the persuasion of maister Wolfe, vpon the hauing of that copie, I resolued to make shift to frame a speciall historie of Ireland, in like maner as I had doone of o|ther regions, following Campions order, and setting downe his owne words, ex|cept in places where I had matter to inlarge that (out of other authors) which he had written in breefe. And this I haue thought good to signifie, the rather for that I esteeme it good dealing in no wise to defraud him of his due deserued praise.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 But now after I had continued the historie, and inlarged it out of Giraldus Cam|brensis, Flatsburie, Henrie of Marleburgh, and other, till the yeare 1509, in which that famous prince Henrie the eight began his reigne; some of those that were to bestow the charges of the impression, procured a learned gentleman maister Ri|chard Stanihurst, to continue it from thense forward as he saw occasion, being fur|nished with matter to inlarge the worke, whereof for those latter times I found my selfe vtterlie void, more than that which Campion had deliuered. What I haue EEBO page image 3 doone heerein, your honors discretion shall easilie conceiue. For the imperfection sith it is the first that hath beene set foorth in print, I craue most humblie pardon of your good lordship, beseeching you rather to respect my good will than the per|fectnesse of the worke, which (the wants considered) for the orderlie furnishing thereof, is not to be looked for in the skilfull, much lesse in me the meanest of all, and least able to performe it. Hauing presented the right honourable the earle of Leicester with the historie of Scotland, to whom (as I haue heard) Campion made dedication of his booke, I could not remember me to whome I might more conue|nientlie offer this my trauell in this historie of Ireland, than to your lordship, be|ing hir maiesties lieutenant in that realme. And therefore in most humble wise I ex|hibit the booke to your honour, beseeching the same to beare with my bold at|tempt therein, and to receiue it in good part from him that wished to haue more amplie satisfied your good lordships expectation, if abilitie might haue answered good will. Thus I beseech the Lord to guide your heart in his holie waies, & to fur|nish you with politike prudence and skilfull knowledge to gouerne in your estate and office, so as your dooings may redound to his glorie, the suertie of hir ma|iesties dominion there, your owne aduancement in honour, and conse|quentlie to the sure support and peaceable quietnesse of the true and loiall subiects of that realme.

Your honours most humble to command, RAPHAEL HOLINSHED.

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¶ The authors out of whom this historie of Ireland hath beene gathered.

    Compare 1577 edition: 1
  • Giraldus Cambrensis.
  • Flatsburie.
  • Henricus Marleburgensis.
  • Saxo Grammaticus.
  • Albertus Crantz.
  • Rogerus Houeden.
  • Guilielm. Paruus Nouoburgensis.
  • Polychronicon, siue Ranulfus Higeden.
  • Iohannes Bale.
  • Edmund Campion.
  • Records and rolles diuers.